Who is brazils current leader

To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Bolsonaro took office on January 1, repeating many of his hardline campaign promises. His inauguration day remarks tapped into what appealed to Brazilians about Bolsonaro during his presidential campaign. Brazil suffered from a deep recession starting in That economic crisis was accompanied by political turmoil, as a massive corruption scandal unspooled in the country at the highest levels of government and business , leaving few high-profile leaders unscathed.

Against this backdrop, a rise in violent crime left some voters yearning for order and security, which Bolsonaro — an ex-military officer — promised to deliver. His anti-democratic views are just one element of his disturbing rhetoric, though; the new president also freely spews misogynistic, anti-LGBTQ , and racist statements. Bolsonaro has also often been compared to US President Donald Trump ; both have a reputation for incendiary rhetoric, have tried to build campaigns on promises to end corruption and crack down on crime and chaos, and know their way around social media.

This emphatic embrace of Bolsonaro comes as the new Brazilian leader is beginning to make good on his campaign promises. He has already issued orders that undermine protections for LGBTQ populations and indigenous groups, undercutting the defenses of some of his supporters , who dismissed the seriousness of his rhetoric.

Bolsonaro relied heavily on social media to promote his candidacy and get his message out. He also faced intense opposition and protests, particularly from women. Oh, where to begin. While an attempt to impeach the president over his handling of the Covid crisis was blocked by the speaker of the lower house of Congress, Mr Bolsonaro is portraying himself as under attack from Congress and the Supreme Court. Last week, he told evangelical leaders - who are among his staunchest backers - that "I have three alternatives for my future: being arrested, killed or victory".

And he again took up that theme in his speech on independence day, saying that "only God will oust me". He also used his speech to again cast doubts on Brazil's electronic voting system, telling his supporters he would not take part in an election "farce" in Mr Bolsonaro has long tried to change the exclusively electronic system, which he alleges is open to fraud, to one which provides paper receipts for each vote cast.

The electoral tribunal has not only dismissed his attacks as "disinformation" but has also opened an investigation into the president's allegations that the system is fraudulent. His critics say he is using the same tactics as former US President Donald Trump to allege widespread fraud in case he loses next year's presidential election. The president had earlier attended another rally in the capital, Brasilia, where tens of thousands gathered to express their support for the president.

There was a large police presence in Brasilia where threats made by some of the president's supporters to storm the Supreme Court had led to fears that Brazil could see similar scenes to those that played out on 6 January in Washington DC, when supporters of President Trump surged past barricades into the US Capitol.

But while some Bolsonaro supporters broke though a police cordon in the early hours of Tuesday, they did not manage to surround the Supreme Court building. Mr Bolsonaro did again lash out at the Supreme Court justices, telling the crowd that "I'm very happy to see that all of Brazil got together for a new independence against the communist dictatorship of the judicial authorities".

Even though many of those cases have been closed without charges, those government actions send the message that criticizing the president can lead to persecution, Human Rights Watch said. International law protects the rights to vote and to freedom of expression, and the independence of the judiciary. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. Join our movement today. Help us continue to fight human rights abuses.

Please give now to support our work. Human Rights Watch. Donate Now. Take Action. Join Us. In July , Bolsonaro announced he tested positive for Covid , following months of downplaying the virus.

He and his government have resisted lockdown measures and mask-wearing. Angry citizens, political adversaries and overwhelmed local officials have pressed Bolsonaro for more federal action, even as he has publicly shrugged off those concerns.

Corruption investigations and inquiries. The Brazilian Senate inquiry into the government's response may hobble Bolsonaro's reelection bid if it leads to an impeachment proceeding or criminal charges. While those outcomes are considered by political analysts to be unlikely, Bolsonaro's future may depend on his ability to keep the peace with lawmakers responsible for such proceedings. Senate opposition leader Randolfe Rodrigues said what started as an investigation into omissions and misconduct has now turned into a corruption inquiry.

The accusations include claims Bolsonaro and his government sabotaged isolation measures, threatened governors and mayors who applied restrictive measures, and refused to wear masks or encourage their use. Brazilians have taken to the streets in large numbers to demand a better response. Demonstrators take part in a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic in Sao Paulo. The inquiry has also uncovered explosive claims from a witness that Bolsonaro was warned a proposed vaccine deal was padded with extra cash for corrupt officials.

Congressman Luis Miranda, a former ally of Bolsonaro, and his brother Luis Ricardo Miranda, a Ministry of Health employee, said they warned the President of irregularities in the contract, but he did nothing to resolve the issue. Bolsonaro told Radio Gaucha, "I can't just, when anything comes to me, take action. I meet with more than people a month. Speaking Sunday as he was being discharged from the hospital, Bolsonaro complained the CPI is too often accusing him of being corrupt.